A torque transmission arrangement can, for example, be used as a transfer case in a motor vehicle having all-wheel drive for the controllable transmission of a driving torque to a primary axle and/or a secondary axle of the motor vehicle. In a so-called “torque on demand” transfer case, the wheels of the primary axle are permanently driven, whereas a portion of the driving torque can be selectively transferred to the wheels of the secondary axle by means of the torque transmission arrangement. A transfer case of this kind can also be designed as a controllable center differential in which the friction clutch is associated with a differential lock.
Transfer cases are moreover used in various constellations. They can be designed with or without a center differential, with a differential lock or a connectable drive of the second driven axle, with or without a step-down stage. They are installed in the longitudinal direction as a rule. The use of a friction clutch additionally allows the continuous control of the clutch torque transmitted by it in addition to a gentle clutch engagement.
A transfer case of the above-described kind is disclosed, for example, in AT 008636 U1. In the construction of such transfer cases, there is usually the endeavor to support the relatively high axial forces that occur on the engagement of the friction clutch in a closed power circuit at the primary shaft and not at the housing. A support at the primary shaft is advantageous since it usually has a high material strength as well as small production tolerances. The housing usually comprises aluminum. Furthermore, a closed force circuit can only be realized via the primary shaft because some of the axial forces are necessarily introduced into the primary shaft via the friction clutch. The support element must, therefore, be supported at the primary shaft in the axial direction. Since the support element is, however, held secure against rotation in the housing, whereas the primary shaft rotates during operation, the support force must be transmitted via a suitable moving support from the support element to the primary shaft. In AT 008636 U1, the support element is, therefore, supported at the primary shaft via an additional axial roller element bearing, a sliding ring as well as a transmission element rotationally fixedly connected to the primary shaft. Such an arrangement is, however, associated with a relatively high effort and correspondingly increased costs.